PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 353 



French; Meerkool, of the Germans; and Col. Marina, of the Span- 

 ish. The sea-kale is a marine cabbage, growing wild on the sea- 

 shore in different parts of Europe. It is a perennial and very 

 hardy. In England and Ireland the peasantry flock to the sea- 

 side in the months of March and April to cut the young shoots of 

 the sea-kale, which they boil as greens. The precise period of its 

 introduction into the garden is not known. Miller is the first 

 author who notices it, in his dictionary published in 1731; it 

 has now become quite common in the markets of Great Britain. 

 The old method of growing it was to cover the beds with four or 

 live inches of sand; when the young shoots came up, they were 

 nicely blanched and fit for the table. This method is seldom 

 adopted now; boxes or large pots are used instead. Most vege- 

 tables, when forced, are deficient in flavor; but sea-kale is an 

 exception. The young shoots that are forced are more tender 

 than tho^e grown in the open ground. It is one of those accom- 

 modating vegetables that will grow in any moderately good soil. 

 To cook sea-kale, soak the stalks in w^ater for thirty minutes, and 

 tie them in small bunches similar to asparagus; boil until tender, 

 which will be in a short time, over a brisk fire; drain off the 

 water; lay them on a slice of toast which has been moistened in 

 the water they were boiled in; dress with drawn butter, pepper, 

 and salt, same as asparagus. 



Salsify. 

 Salsify (^Tragopogon porrifoUus) or vegetable oyster, a biennial 

 plant, whose leaves closely resemble the leek. The root is long 

 and tapering, and like all root vegetables it requires a deep and 

 rich soil. It is used as a substitute for oysters cooked in this 

 way : The roots are scraped and laid in water for fifteen minutes 

 to abstract a portion of its bitter flavor ; it is then to be boiled 

 until tender, and cut in slices or grated and made into small cakes 

 and dipped into a batter made with flour, milk and eggs ; then 

 sprinkled with cracker or bread-crumbs, and fried in boiling lard. 

 The young shoots of the second season's growth, when about four 

 inches high, may be used the same as asparagus. Propagated by 

 seed. 



Broccoli. 



This vegetable {Brasstca oleracea) is supposed to have been pro- 

 duced from the cauliflower, which originally came from the Island 

 of Cyprus some three hundred years ago, and introduced into the 



[Am. Inst.J W 



